I'd also wait on the Razer. While some of their gear is spot on great (still use a 5 year old mice of theirs) they also have some really shitty products that clearly went through insufficient quality testing.

I should get back to nature, too. You know, like going to a shop for groceries instead of the computer. Maybe a condo in the woods that doesn't even have a health club or restaurant attached. Buy a car with only two cup holders or something.

I'd also wait on the Razer. While some of their gear is spot on great (still use a 5 year old mice of theirs) they also have some really shitty products that clearly went through insufficient quality testing.

I agree re: Razer products being hit and miss. At least this time, they bought a company that had actually delivered a phone before to jumpstart their entry into the market. I'm using a Nextbit Robin now and it's been a pretty solid budget handset, so I wouldn't be surprised if the Razer phone is pretty decent out of the gate - they're sticking to using largely vanilla Android, which is nice.

Raising this from the dead for recommendations on new phones. I have used iPhones for the past seven years and currently hobbling along with my 6+ now that is slow as heck. Looking at the new iPhone models but so damn expensive. I'm tentatively considering switching over to Android but worried about breaking up the family Apple ecosystem (kid and wife both are using iPhones). Does it ultimately really matter having the family split on platforms?

I'm aware I will need to do some manual transfer of contacts and stuff like that, but the S9 monthly payment is like $26/mo and the Note9 is around $33/mo. And the darn new iPhone is over $40/mo!! If you have any suggestions or recommendations, let me know your experience. I'm trying to keep the costs down a bit, if that's possible.

1. No and No, but I will try it tonight I suppose. Regarding the battery, my battery life is actually still fairly decent. Is there a link between the battery and system performance?

2. I was only looking at new models to maximize the purchase value, assuming I got four years out of this 6+, I would like to get four years out of my next phone and buying an 8 or X won't be that much less in cost but may only last 2-3 years before the system software is 'old'.

3. The kid and I are using Windows 10; wife is MacOS on a lower end MacBook Pro.

**edit - I should say that none of us in the family are really using our phones and PCs together all that much. I offload my photos to Dropbox monthly. The only real challenge to the upgrade for me is setting up 2FA tools again and contact info.

1. everyone in my family and my wife had iOS devices; so having the convenience of platform stuff. 2. T-mobile was having some sweetheart deal where if my wife upgraded to an 8 series, she'd get a free iPhone8 if I was bringing my number off a different service which I was. So we got her an 8+ and I got the free 8.

"I want to watch it all burn in an orgy of smashed Coke machines and weasel rape." - HaemishM

iOS 11.3 added the ability to change the battery-related throttling settings but you may want to get the battery replaced while the discounted replacement cost is still in effect (through the end of this year) if you plan on handing down the phone.

iOS 12 promised and delivered better performance even on old devices so it's something to consider if you don't mind the inevitable issues on the first release (12.1 should be out when the XR is available):

2. I was only looking at new models to maximize the purchase value, assuming I got four years out of this 6+, I would like to get four years out of my next phone and buying an 8 or X won't be that much less in cost but may only last 2-3 years before the system software is 'old'.

Unlike most Android phones, Apple supports their older hardware for a very very long time (in mobile-device years). Based on previous models you are looking at around 5 years of major iOS updates from when the device launched. So something like the iPhone 8 will likely get major iOS updates through 2022 (launched September 2017). In contrast, something like the Samsung S7 which is only 2.5 years old is already out-of-date on the OS-side as it won't be getting Android 9. Basically on Android you are lucky if you can get one major Android update on a brand new phone before those stop. Even Google phones (Pixel and Nexus) are not much better as they only promise 2 - 3 years of major OS updates.

In any event the iPhone XR is brand new (actually it's not even out yet, have to wait till October 23) and cheaper than the XS and close in price to an S9 ($749 for XR 64 GB vs $720 for S9) if you are looking for something cheaper. Forbes has a good run-down of the differences:

I am still on an iPhone 6 (granted, it is a refurb only 18ish months old because I had to have it replaced when the replacement screen popped off due to battery swelling so my battery is not totally degraded yet) and it still runs nicely. But it is 4 year old hardware and it is still supported by Apple. I have not updated to 12 yet because I don't like being on a .0 OS release with iOS but I will probably have to update next weekend even if the .1 or whatever is not out because I am traveling to the UK in 2 weeks and my carrier recommends being on the newest OS and updating carrier settings before using the international roaming.

I plan on buying an 8 to replace it in November/December and expect that to last me 3-4 years before I need to replace it (hopefully they will have figured out how to put the touchID sensor behind the screen and I won't be forced to use the stupid facial recognition).

'Reality' is the only word in the language that should always be used in quotes.

I'm an old fuck who can't explain all the technical crap, but I use an Ipad Mini and Android phone, my wife has an Android phone, and my kid has an I-phone. All on the same plan/network. We all also run Windows computers. All seem interchangeable at this point and we haven't run into any problems for the two years we have had this mix.

"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”

Only thing I insist on with i-Things in my family tech ecosystem is that I refuse to learn how to configure them, so if my family members want to use them, they're on their own if they break. My advice is limited to "Turn it all the way off, and back on again."

The previous two major iOS upgrades seemed to slow my phone down considerably each time; on 11 the phone was becoming a real chore to use. However, 12 has significantly improved the response time of most things on the OS. If everything stays the same I might be able to stave off an upgrade for another generation at least.

I've been using the same iPhone 6 since around when it first came out and earlier this year was the first time I really started having a noticeable performance and battery life issue. I paid ~$40 to have a new battery put in and it was like having a brand new phone. It sounds weird, but it seriously made a huge difference. It worked so well in fact that I went ahead and did the same thing on my son's 6s. Highly recommended if you're happy with the old phone and want to get some more time out of it.

I'm also on iOS 12 now but I din't really notice a difference good or bad after updating.

I've been using the same iPhone 6 since around when it first came out and earlier this year was the first time I really started having a noticeable performance and battery life issue. I paid ~$40 to have a new battery put in and it was like having a brand new phone. It sounds weird, but it seriously made a huge difference. It worked so well in fact that I went ahead and did the same thing on my son's 6s. Highly recommended if you're happy with the old phone and want to get some more time out of it.

I'm also on iOS 12 now but I din't really notice a difference good or bad after updating.

Same thing with my wife's phone. iPhone 6+ and we put a new battery and iOS12 and it's snappy and responsive.

1. I don't care about the camera. 2. I want it to primarily act as a phone. So call quality, reception, and battery life. 3. Durability a plus. 4. I'd like to stay on the cheap end. I'll spend more money if I see a reason to.

Looked at Asus zenfone and Motorolo Moto G6. Suggestions welcomed.

Edit: With Verizon for connection quality where I live. Might change, probably not.

« Last Edit: October 14, 2018, 01:34:10 PM by Nebu »

"Always do what is right. It will gratify half of mankind and astound the other."

My advice, get the cheapest smartphone you can for right now, since anything you get will satisfy your basic requirements. Looks like Verizon sells ancient refurbished phones in either iPhone or Android flavor for under $200. That's hopefully cheap enough that if you decide after a year of usage that you want something with a bigger screen or more storage or a better camera or whatever you won't feel obligated to stick it out with the old one rather than upgrade.

"Nice attempted blast about my "drinking". I do enjoy a nice cuppa, but that is because I am a bon vivant of gregarious nature and cheery disposition." - Ab

I made the move from a burner-type phone (that I almost never actually carried on me) to an iPhone in 2010. Prior to getting a smartphone I would have said "oh, I never actually use my phone, so I don't care about any of these features," but once I got used to having a web browser, gaming platform, decent quality camera, GPS, photo album, video player, etc etc etc in my pocket, I very quickly wanted it to be as good at all those things as it can possibly be.

« Last Edit: October 14, 2018, 11:08:00 PM by Samwise »

"Nice attempted blast about my "drinking". I do enjoy a nice cuppa, but that is because I am a bon vivant of gregarious nature and cheery disposition." - Ab

I made the move from a burner-type phone (that I almost never actually carried on me) to an iPhone in 2010. Prior to getting a smartphone I would have said "oh, I never actually use my phone, so I don't care about any of these features," but once I got used to having a web browser, gaming platform, decent quality camera, GPS, photo album, video player, etc etc etc in your pocket, I very quickly wanted it to be as good at all those things as it can possibly be.

I'm 10 years behind you. I got my first cell phone (flip phone) in 2008. I used to hike in the deep middle of nowhere with nothing but a compass. Times have changed.

"Always do what is right. It will gratify half of mankind and astound the other."

In some ways I envy your ability to resist the technology, because this goddamn thing seems to be consuming my life.

On the other hand, modern smartphones are literally miracles. If you step back and think a little about just what they can do, it is nothing short of astonishing. Does it improve my life in any measurable way? I don't know. It's a bit of a paradox.

Never, ever assume someone that short and fat has their shit together. - Schild

I made the move from a burner-type phone (that I almost never actually carried on me) to an iPhone in 2010. Prior to getting a smartphone I would have said "oh, I never actually use my phone, so I don't care about any of these features," but once I got used to having a web browser, gaming platform, decent quality camera, GPS, photo album, video player, etc etc etc in your pocket, I very quickly wanted it to be as good at all those things as it can possibly be.

I'm 10 years behind you. I got my first cell phone (flip phone) in 2008. I used to hike in the deep middle of nowhere with nothing but a compass. Times have changed.

And I thought I was late! I used to bike and hike around with a compass and paper maps. I still carry a compass when I travel. I resisted phones until 2000, despite being a journalist for a technology magazine. This was my first, and it even looked comical then:

I still keep to a low budget for phones and I'm still only on a Galaxy S7. It gets a real workout because I have the tech knowledge and I'm rarely without it, but compared with some people I don't live my life on it (no Facebook app, no Messenger, no Instagram, no Whatsapp).